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Call to order the
Kenosha council meeting for
Monday, August 17, 2026.
Roll call please.
Okay, let the record reflect the quorum is present.
I want to ask everyone to please rise for a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Tonight I would like to ask everyone to please keep in your thoughts and prayers.
The memory of Bishop Lawrence Kirby who passed away this past Friday.
I know he was a friend to many of you in this room and many around this community.
And our thoughts and prayers with the Kirby family as they deal with his loss.
Can I get a motion to approve the minutes of July 20th and August 3rd, 2026?
The move is second.
Any changes or corrections?
Seeing none.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries.
We have 21 citizens that have signed up to speak.
Each will have three minutes.
When your name is called please proceed to the podium state your name and address for the record.
The first speaker is Mary Marcynquez.
The mic on?
Yes ma'am.
Okay.
Hello.
I am here tonight because I'm opposed to moving forward with the construction of an AI data center.
Mary, can we get your name and address for the record please?
Yes.
Okay.
It is my understanding that it will be one of the largest in Wisconsin to date with plans
for a one-minute-foot complex.
Mary, I'm sorry.
You still can't hear me.
No, I just need your name and address and then we can get started.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Mary Marcynquez, 7641 50th Avenue.
Thank you ma'am.
Okay.
Can I start now?
Okay.
Hello.
I'm opposed to moving forward with the construction of an AI data center in our county.
It is my understanding that it is one of the largest in Wisconsin to date and it plans
for a million-foot complex.
I propose that we the people are allowed to vote on the data center if possible in November.
I think that we as a state should enact a moratorium on any data center in Wisconsin
and especially here so close to home.
We need to ensure that the effects to our climate, rising temperatures, pollution on
our land and water, as well as noise pollution are held to a minimum.
There are too many unknowns to date.
Any proposal, any proposed fossil fuel plants need to be halted.
We need to utilize only alternative environmentally safe energy sources in the future.
I have two grandchildren, one, age five, one, nine months and I fear that they will inherit
the devastating effects of our poor choices.
They deserve our attention to detail so that their future environment is a livable one
because it is their environment.
We need to stop research and take responsibility for our actions.
We are not at the point where we know enough about using renewable energy in this situation.
Remember, the CEOs of Microsoft do not have to live in this community after they wreak
their havoc.
I am a lover of nature and I was lucky to have spent the last two weeks in Wisconsin
and Michigan reserves.
On this vacation, I went to Pennvine, Wisconsin.
If you do not know where that is, that is up north, way up north and there is an island
there surrounded by the Menominee River and that island is protected by we energy.
We energy has taken and protected the habitats of the plants and animals in that area.
And I would ask the energy that we can work together.
If they can protect our habitats, then we can work with them.
They need to take the responsibility to tell us exactly up front what they are going to
do and what their role is in data centers.
Ma'am, you have 30 seconds.
Thank you.
Next speaker, Nick Prorock.
Nick Prorock 8858 Sheridan Road.
Thank you, Mayor and all the persons for your attention this evening.
I would like to talk about some of the lessons that I have learned about innovation since
I have been paying attention.
What is innovation?
Innovation is recognizing that in the city of 100,000 people, we need outside influence
and outside investments for growth because there is no way that us commoners could have
the solutions to our everyday problems.
Innovation is Microsoft abandoning their climate goals and acknowledging that the profit stream
from artificial intelligence is more valuable than a future planet that has sustainable
ecosystems and that is not on fire.
Innovation is establishing training programs for younger generations to learn how to work
in industries which are unpopular and unwelcome in the community.
Innovation is promising thousands of jobs to workers and laborers to build the infrastructure
that will make our city worse and paying them very well to do it.
Innovation is NDAs.
It's recognizing early the projects that people are against and planning through
secrecy ways to move those projects forward anyway.
Innovation is creating new realities by saying there is no NDA.
Innovation is deciding that we don't need land to grow food and understanding that harvesting
data on people is more profitable.
There is nothing flashy about feeding the hungry.
Innovation is rejecting notions like the right to privacy and enforcing mass surveillance
on everyone and getting that technology to be paid for with our taxes.
Innovation is allowing outside investors to buy up Kenosha land and water and sell it
back to the people who were here first.
Innovation is building luxury apartment buildings and charging homeless people to sleep outside.
Innovation is figuring out how to assess people's property at higher values so you can charge
them a lower percentage of property tax but still charge them more money.
Innovation is doing things more morally grounded people wouldn't consider doing business practices
like polluting the air and water and tracking where people go 24 hours a day.
Innovation is recognizing that you are right and we are wrong in abandoning your duties
to represent the people to achieve your dreams and your growth and your goals and your vision
for Kenosha is the best path forward.
Thank you for making Kenosha the center of innovation in southeast Wisconsin.
I'd like you to request you consider the possibility that the most innovative ideas will come from
the people who live here not from AI and not from trillion dollar companies.
Nick you have 30 seconds.
So I'd like to ask that you don't build this data center, pass a moratorium to make sure
that our environment and our water is kept clean and safe and thank you for your time.
Julie, Christian Berry.
Hi, my name is Julie Christian Berry.
I live in Pleasant Prairie.
However, the ill effects of the data center, no, no city, county or other limits.
I do however own an apartment building at 6703 35th Avenue in Kenosha.
I'm concerned about the value of my property and the ability to find tenants once the dangers
of the data center become real.
My tenants are real people and they matter to me.
I say with no shame that my four daughters and my five very young grandchildren are the
people I worry most about.
I don't have to recite the environmental and human concerns.
I have this is a third common council meeting I've been to, but the first I have spoken
at since public speaking does not come easily to me.
I should have spoken up when the data center went up in Mount Pleasant since we own an
apartment building and we're seeing, but it seemed to go up overnight.
These projects are being rushed through secretly.
No public notices, no information in learning sessions, no town forums to educate people.
You are elected to represent us, not big tech.
Pause this debacle by initiating a forum, excuse me, a moratorium so that you can educate
yourselves please and your constituents.
Thank you.
Howard Gusk.
Howard Gusk is 5914, 128th Avenue, Kenosha, actually town of Paris.
We own Woofman's Lodge right on the corner there.
Obviously I'm here against the data center, not against development.
You line their good neighbors, Amazon was a good neighbor, you know, they've landscaped
the property, it looks good, not against development in that area.
I mean, we're talking my street.
Our street's going now to four lanes from two rural road that's starting next year.
You know, a data center is not a fit for that area.
I have large, everyone's talked about the pollution, the energy, what are we all know
about that.
My concern really is the constant noise.
You're hearing out of Texas from all these people that live nearby, the constant drone.
You're not far from Paris school, which is award winning school, and you have all the
farm animals there.
No one knows the impact and what it's going to do to melt production, beef production.
I think that we need to hit the pause button on this and, you know, everyone's not in my
backyard.
Everyone that's speaking here lives quite a distance away.
We're only about a mile away, maybe two miles away from it.
Far enough that I won't see it, but all my friends and neighbors, it's in their backyard.
So, you know, I just want to express that I think this should be done by referendum.
This should not be jammed down our throats.
I think, you know, and see, I can pretty much guarantee you're not going to find anybody
speaking in favor of this.
But it is amazing that in Texas, it's become that they're putting a moratorium on these
things.
Thanks for your time.
Leslie Brown.
Leslie Brown, 5914, 128th Avenue, Kenosha.
I just want to go on record as saying, I believe we need a moratorium on these AI data
centers.
They're being rushed through without allowing, you know, the proper information sessions
in that for the, you know, citizens that are living near and are going to be affected by
them.
And what's the rush?
You know, these, we need to take our time and do, you know, look into this there, you
know, again, you know, progress, great, you know, but this isn't the type of progress
that we need.
You're going to be threatening the health of citizens, you know, future generations.
A lot of us people out there were on wells, you know, and it's just, and the gas turbine
plants that they need to power these, that's a whole nother problem.
And the, the, the plant that they want to power, it will employ eight full-time employees.
My business, Woofman's Lodge, employs 14 people.
My small business is going to employ more than one of the power plants that they need
to run these.
So I just think that we need to slow things down.
Let's do this wisely or better yet, let's not, you know, you know, let us have a chance
at our own future and our own health.
Thank you.
Jerry Moore.
Jerry Moore, 10, 9, 18, 69th Street.
In my five last council speaks to you.
The voices in opposition to data centers have been clear and unified.
We've said no, we've asked for a moratorium, public announcements to the community and
group forums.
Even though on issues like this, we really deserve a vote.
Monday after Monday, we ask and speak into nothingness.
While an industrial giant stands to disrupt, destroy, displace, change, replace, homelands,
environments, our health, and Wisconsin culture with ugly and demanding infrastructure.
Drastic changes uprooting lives, habitats, and land parcels never intended for this scale
of industrial development.
70% of Americans oppose data centers.
And the lack of public notice or group forums is more than disheartening, adding to, I feel,
intentional secrecy.
How many of you have even driven by the Mount Pleasant Fairwater Site or seen the nighttime
glare?
Recently, I drove to the proposed site, farmhouse windows painted black, as during non-disclosure
days, something boarded up would have drawn attention and raised too many questions.
To me again, secrecy.
Driving down UE, I saw the route a July 6 speaker said was the most beautiful of bike
rides.
I saw natural pollinator patches with beads, birdsong, and crickets.
Experienced ecosystems that, through city partnerships, you're now trying to create here
in the city, but destroying in Paris because of land decisions you made to annex rezone
that uproot lives, lands, legacies.
The citizens we probably can forgive disagreement, we can forgive difficult decisions.
What we don't forgive is feeling that our voice is never mattered.
Be transparent, Council, represent constituents, not boardrooms.
We need room for difficult questions, respectful disagreement, and information not heard or
thought about.
We need public servants who encourage participation and earn trust.
Give a legacy on Council as doing the correct thing.
Write the wrongs and say act as if you stood up and tried.
May I be happy?
If not one of the complicity and secrecy, I am proud and thankful of the younger friends
behind me who care about what happens beyond their lifetime.
Maybe that is what legacy is all about, what we cared enough to keep intact.
Thank you.
Amy Mayer.
Hello.
I'm Amy Mayer.
I live at 614, 15th place in Kenosha, and I have a few statistics that I think are very
important to consider.
One large data center will use between 30 to 150 million gallons in one month.
A medium one uses between 9 and 15 million gallons a month.
And what we're finding is that once the cooling process is done, some of that water is turned
to steam.
However, some of it is going into our municipal systems.
Now we know what's going on in Indiana.
Right now, Indiana has between 72 and 125 data centers.
So think of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, we're all around Lake Michigan.
And the number of these data centers and the amount of water that's being consumed on
a monthly basis, a citizen in Indiana had stated she has never seen anything like this
in 45 years.
So yes, there is rain, but perhaps the sewer systems are overloaded.
Not just that, there's heavy electrical usage.
If the system is overloaded, something that has not yet been explored, for long term,
people won't be able to access hot water, they're cooking, they're refrigeration.
So this is why it's imperative that as a community and as a country, we really need
to examine and think very carefully about everything that is going on.
It's very serious.
So the tech players want to run fast and furious, run with the ball, of course, because they're
going to be gaining from that financially.
So we really need to put this into perspective and make an educated decision.
Thank you.
Jackie Simm Hello, Jacqueline Simm, 5502, 63rd Street.
I'm standing before you tonight to ask the council to enact a moratorium on the proposed
AI data center in Kenosha.
There are four points of concern that I would like to raise.
First, this industrial warehouse is not an innovation hub.
We are being sold a story about tech innovation, but let's be honest, handing over Kenosha
land for massive 1 million square foot industrial warehouse complex does not sound like innovation
nor does it benefit our community.
Second, the job numbers are vague.
Official minutes from the November 2024 plan commission meetings showed that the developers
representatives stated that each building would employ 10 to 20 workers.
Now public statements claim around 50 per building with employees and vendors occupying
each building.
Throwing temporary contractors, third party vendors, maintenance, security and technical
employees into a single baseline number, a high to the number of permanent high paying
local jobs.
We are told 80 to $100,000 per year, but let's be clear that's only for people with graduate
degrees and we don't know what that actual figure is.
Is it four people?
Is it eight people?
We don't know.
There's a lot of temporary benefit while the buildings are being constructed, but I want
you to consider the long term impacts.
Third, when asked about the water source for the site, the official FAQ gives a single
vague sentence, quote, the source for the site would be from the Kenosha water utility,
end quote.
That complete lack of detail ignores where the water actually comes from, our beautiful
gem Lake Michigan.
It hides the massive systemic water footprint required by the power plants to generate
the electricity that this facility will require every day.
We're being told it's 4,500 gallons per day, but that's not actually true because the energy
source, they also require water.
So that number's not included in this 4,500 gallons per day figure.
So that needs to be stated plainly and transparently to the people.
Fourth, there are documented noise issues at the existing facilities in Wisconsin.
In Port Washington, residents have filed a class action lawsuit against local facility
regarding sound levels.
As recently as July 20th, 2026, thank you, Microsoft confirmed that engineering teams
are continuing to evaluate and mitigate the noise at that site.
We do not want Kenosha to become another caution story for Wisconsin.
Kenosha County should not be Microsoft's guinea pig.
I urge this council to listen to the people who live here, protect our resources and pass
a moratorium to shut this project down.
Thank you.
Dorothy Nolan.
Hello, my name is Dorothy Nolan.
I live at 802.21st Avenue in Kenosha.
My comments today are regarding the proposed data center.
I last spoke to this council about my concerns on air quality because I feel strongly about
the data center extraction of our resources like land and water.
I've been looking closely at the headline warning signs around the country on this topic.
Here are my recent top 10.
Number one, Governor Abbott of Texas has halted data center approvals.
He has directed the state's regulators to complete a comprehensive audit before projects
can move forward.
Two, the illusion of waterless AI, how closed-loop data centers shift the freshwater burden
to power plants.
Three, experts say we don't need more data centers to build better AI.
Four, Lake County residents file lawsuit to block 472 Acre Data Center campus in Grays
Lake, Illinois.
Five, AI's impact on the environment is absolutely horrifying.
Six, open AI says it's AI went rogue and launched an unprecedented cyber attack.
Seven, we energies is already proposing a 14% rate increase over the next two years.
Eight, inside this secretive deal for a $10 billion data center in rural North Carolina.
Nine, the left and right agree on one thing, no data centers.
Ten, a massive amount of data center power abruptly disconnected from the largest US
electric grid in July, 2026, causing a voltage disturbance that could be felled from D.C.
to Chicago down to Miami.
There's a common thread that continues to surface when you look at the headlines and
that's one of lack of trust and a technology that's out of control.
Collectively, the public trust has been eroded given the secrecy and silence around these
data centers.
My concern is that the city of Kenosha may not be looking at the resource extraction
around the country.
We do not have limited resources.
We have no regulations or plan for massive job losses.
The projected pollution is a major health hazard and our electric grid is not ready
to handle a load.
You have an obligation as a governing body to act on our behalf and not the tech companies.
Miami, you have 30 seconds.
Look around the country.
This is not just an issue in Kenosha.
The warning signs are everywhere.
We need a pause on this to make sure the proper guardrails are in place.
Thanks.
Greg Kessen.
Greg Kressen, 802. 21st Avenue, Kenosha.
I say no to the data center and I also say no to the gas plants.
My comments today are about the details of the power issue that occurred on July 22nd
because of the data center in Virginia.
Just before 8 a.m. on July 22nd, electricity flickered on and off for about 10 minutes.
An engineer's data says it happened throughout the eastern half of the United States, from
Chicago to Boston to Miami.
He ties a problem to a data center alley in Ashburn, Virginia and says that seamlessly
small blip is a sign that our infrastructure is in danger.
Experts say cracks in our infrastructure grid are starting to show as the data center industry
consumes electricity as a rate this world has never seen or experienced before.
The data centers are such a big load on the grid that they have that departmental impact
on the surrounding grid said Bob Marshall with ting labs.
The company sells a device to plug into the wall to monitor your home's electricity and
alert you if something's awry to try to prevent an electrical fire.
With millions of these devices in your homes across the U.S., Marshall's data collected
shows something he flagged as a concern at 7.56 a.m. electricity throughout the eastern
half of the U.S. dropped, spiked, dropped, spiked and leveled off.
Marshall said it happened a few more times over the next 10 minutes.
This one event serving either one building or whatever the data center complex is impacted
the entire region and this is what experts are worried about.
News 4 reached out to Dominion energy about the power grid glitch.
The power company said a piece of equipment on one of the high-end voltage transmission
lines that serves data centers failed knocking it out of service.
As a result, the data center system switched back up power.
Dominican energy did not disconnect area data centers from the grid.
The data centers on systems transferred from the backup power for a very short period
of time.
Ting labs provided News 4 with a graphic showing the scale of the service disruption.
The company said orange is really bad and red is worse.
Those colors were more, the colors covered more than half the U.S.
Wisconsin is completely covered in orange.
People working on regulations around this, they're concerned on these events and the
future could cause the grid to become unstable and if that does happen back in a few, over
a few more minutes over 10, we'd be dealing with a real problem and the possibility of
a blackout.
Our hospitals and schools and everyone that is sick, we need the power for humans.
Speaker Arabella Kessler.
Arabella Kessler, 33, 27, 47th Avenue, Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Today I'm here to focus on a demand for a moratorium.
All over the state, moratoriums are being passed to protect our residents, lands and
lakes.
Green County, Manitowoc County, Dane County, Dodge County and the city slash townships
of Superior, Madison, Waterloo, just to name a few of all already passed moratoriums with
dozens of other places having them or outright bans proposed.
The village of Wrightstown had a referendum on their primary ballot this past week asking
the people their opinion on data center development.
The answer was an overwhelming no, we don't want them here with 87% of residents voting
against development.
Additionally, the small town of Caseville, Wisconsin had a proposed $1 billion data center
and despite a potential 5.5 million annually in property tax revenue, they unanimously
struck it down 44-0 going as far as to enact an outright ban on data centers in their town.
Clearly, other counties, cities and townships see the dangers and concerns that residents
have brought up and are willing to listen to their constituents.
Why won't Kenosha?
Why are we rushing if not purely for political and financial incentives to build something
when we know so little about how it may affect Kenosha and the lake as a whole?
You can say you know the potential effects, but have you listened to any scientists outside
of the ones on Microsoft's payroll?
Maybe it's because Microsoft has offered grants to our already underfunded public institutions
which we have accepted.
Microsoft has been laying its seeds here for years, quite literally by partnering with
us last year to create pollinator patches, lulling us into a quiet sense of security
before they leave us high and dry.
Look across the country, this is what these corporations do.
Another point I'd like to mention today is my strong suggestion to host a public town
hall where you can clearly hear the voices of the folks you represent.
The mayor was comfortable running town halls as an older person for his district.
What changed?
To only speak to residents individually shows a lack of confidence in the city's ability
to defend their position on the benefits of hyperscale data centers and an awareness
that a majority of the city is not in favor.
You are only breeding division.
What are you so afraid of?
Does it annoy you to sit and listen to me?
To participate in the role you chose and were elected to do?
I strongly encourage each older person to independently research this issue and talk
to the folks they represent.
Whether you want to believe in the facts presented to you or not, there are many reasons to support
a moratorium.
These technocrat billionaires and hyperscale data centers are rapidly changing the political
and physical landscape of our country.
What's the risk of airing on the side of caution?
Once we sign the contracts, once we agree to these companies' demands, we lose all leverage.
You cannot seriously expect me to believe, do you even believe, that we can check and
balance Microsoft?
The same Microsoft that currently has an open lawsuit against them for failing to follow
through with their promises in Mount Pleasant?
Which by the way, despite this and their commitment to being a good neighbor, in the next
few years they plan on tripling the amount of energy they are using now.
If you look across the country, there are countless lawsuits popping up against other
data centers for similar issues.
In terms of fighting back against these companies, let's look at the township of Sailing, Michigan.
There was a proposed $16 billion data center, which residents helped prevent.
However, two days later, the developers and landowners sued the township and contractually
bullied them into backing down.
The data center will be allowed to move forward with construction entirely against the town's
wishes.
This is just one example, but if you'd like, I can come back with more.
These are corporations that have the ability to overrule local governments, and we need
to be talking about it, and we need to be angry about it.
I know I am, which is exactly why Kenosha needs to pass a moratorium now.
You all still have a chance to show me.
Thank you.
I'm just got Albert.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
She's almost done.
Next speaker, please.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Folks, come on.
We're being respected.
We're being respected.
We're being respectful here.
I'm just asking, please.
Open needing law violations.
Ma'am, thank you.
Next speaker, please.
Thank you.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
You're going to be escorted out.
You're going to be served.
This is a, I'm going to ask you one more time, please.
We are being respectful by listening.
This is a meeting.
We have rules that we have to follow.
I'm asking you nicely, sir.
Otherwise, I'm going to ask you to leave.
I'm asking you to leave.
This thing's happening.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
Let her speak.
I know it's time.
Oh, wow.
Thank you.
Please continue.
Thank you.
We just need your name and address for the record, please.
Thank you.
My name is Scott Albert, 7822, 30th Avenue.
Progress has to be positive and profitable.
Good evening, Mr. Mayor and ladies and gentlemen of the Common Council.
Thank you, Mayor, for meeting with me several weeks ago.
I have a discussion about the hyperscale AI data center.
I appreciate the amount of details that was taken to ensure this proposed data center
but operate in a way that would protect all aspects and concerns being expressed
by the citizens, neighbors, and friends of Kenosha.
I still do not want a hyperscale AI data center.
However, I am asking for a moratorium.
A moratorium is a temporary stop or pause on a specific activity, rule, or legal duty.
Governments, courts, or businesses use a moratorium to delay actions,
such as paying debts, building new houses, or catching certain fish
until a problem is fixed or a situation is studied.
I ask you, Mr. Mayor and ladies and gentlemen of the Common Council,
for said moratorium so we can study the hyperscale AI data centers that are already functioning.
I believe these are functioning and are only theories behind the operations of the hyperscale AI data centers.
A moratorium will allow studies to be conducted in order to fully evaluate the operations of said data centers.
Last Tuesday, I exercised my civil duty to vote my conscience.
Today, I stand here with my fellow citizens of Kenosha, my neighbors, all your neighbors,
to exercise yet another civil duty, and that is to stand here and vocalize my opposition to the hyperscale AI data center.
I would like the opportunity to vote on this proposal and hope the option will be available as a referendum.
As for today, I stand here and ask as a citizen of Kenosha for moratorium. Thank you.
Colton Roberts.
Hello, my name is Colton Roberts. I live at 47, 10, 18th of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
It'll be a second week. I say it, coward.
Pure cowardice is being shown from our administration, not only to the disrespect to the people,
not only to the blagrant violation of the spirit of our First Amendment rights,
but due to the fact that half of y'all are over the age of 60 and will not live to see the effects of the data center.
When my daughter turns 21, they can legally drink, what if she has asthma, due to the shit y'all done?
What happens if when I'm going to retire, I can't, because I'm on a deathbed, because you in basilic freakwads, I don't know,
do nothing but push for a carcinogenic building to be built in our societies?
What happens when there's no one left to sue because y'all are dead?
What are we going to do?
We can't tear down the building once it's built.
Say it again, cowardice is being shown from this administration.
I'm looking you in the eye, Mr. Mayor.
It's tomato-headed freak.
No, why should I show respect to the people who are not respecting me?
I have one representative of the City Council, Mr. Kelly McKay.
He has shown me former respect, compassion, understanding, and kindness than that man sitting up there.
Just because you don't like what someone has to say, you still got to listen to it.
I listened to every single word you said when you invited me to speak to you one-on-one.
And I gave it thought, and I disagreed with you.
But I didn't call for the damn cops to bring me out, sorry to bring you out, because I didn't like what you had to say.
Shame, nothing but shame.
I wish I'd want to say, but my heart is racing, I can barely think of it calling you fox.
Next speaker, Leanne Carpenter.
Leanne, last name starts with a C.
Leanne on 43rd Avenue.
My writing was a little sloppy, Carpenter.
Leanne Carpenter of 1585, 43rd Avenue.
I want to speak about the non-disclosure agreement, which is probably why people are very pissed off.
I actually looked up the definition because I wasn't sure of all the specifics of what an NDA was.
And I found an NDA is a legally binding contract in which one or more parties agree not to disclose specific confidential information to others.
So were the others, the citizens of Kenosha?
It protects trade secrets, business strategies, proprietary technology, and other sensitive data by creating a confidential relationship between the two parties.
Now, a confidential relationship with trust between you guys and Microsoft, not between you guys and the others, which is the way it's supposed to be.
When you tell us, the others, to trust you, the data center will bring jobs, financial incentives for the community, and there won't be any negative impacts because Microsoft gave you guys a sales pitch and you trust them, you believe them.
While at the same time, you're keeping the terms, the negotiations, the future predictions, a secret behind an NDA, you are lying by omission to all the others.
You're breaking trust in a big, big, big way.
By agreeing to the NDA, you're telling Microsoft that the citizens of Kenosha are a nuisance, a stumbling block, or hurdle to be overcome, something to be dealt with after the fact.
Put it up and we'll deal with them later.
And whether or not anybody in this room actually has those thoughts or had those thoughts in the beginning, it doesn't matter because Microsoft does have those thoughts.
They are a large company, a successful company, that's how they got where they are.
They don't worry about the aftermath, which is us.
They worry about their bottom line.
That's why you guys are here to protect us, to advocate for us.
Microsoft or any other big company that comes in here wanting our stuff for whatever reason should be considered guilty or not safe until they prove themselves to be otherwise.
In this case, jobs and cash incentives were used as bribes for your silence.
You have 30 seconds.
A project of this magnitude, if it's truly in the best interest, of the community should not require secrecy.
Period.
Please do the right thing.
Listen to us.
We need a moratorium.
If not a full stop to the building of this data center or any other data center proposal from any other company.
Anybody else who wants to come in here and use our stuff.
Thank you for your time.
Hello.
My name is Ed Ruka, 7727 Fifth Avenue.
I'm standing here tonight, not a policy expert.
Just a resident deeply concerned about the data center.
What it means for our homes, our kids and our wallets.
When the big tech companies come to town, they talk about job creation tax revenues.
But when you look at the past pitch, doctors, scientists, environmental health researchers are flagging serious health and financial risks that hit us.
That hit us right at the neighborhood level.
Here's what real world data shows from an independent study from Dr. Michael Cork, who has a PhD from Harvard.
Dr. Cork has been studying data centers for over 15 years.
First, the air we breathe.
These facilities bring massive banks of diesel backup generators and sometimes even power their own plants right on site.
After recent study models, national data centers grows shows that air pollution from these sites cause over 1000 premature deaths
and will cost our healthcare system 20 billion every single year by the year 2030.
Other studies have found just one large data center running on site power can cause up to 90 million a year in local health damages.
Mostly our kids ending up in the ER with asthma attacks, our seniors facing heart issues.
And I know that many of you have children and grandchildren that you would not want to harm.
And as some of you may be seniors, like me, or have parents that are seniors, I'm sure you don't want to cut their lives short.
Or maybe some might want to get rid of their parents a little early in life.
Yes, I've heard the arguments of Uline and Amazon and other companies that would have diesel trucks running.
And you would the same exhaust that these generators would.
But we have to remember one thing.
Each truck employs somebody.
A diesel generator doesn't employ anybody.
So you have 30 seconds.
All right.
Second noise, the nonstop noise from data centers.
Huge cooling fans 24, 7, 365 of a low frequency and the study of noise pollution shows that living near the constant hum.
People's sleepless, raises stress hormones, and spikes of blood pressure.
Imagine not being outside the whole time in your backyard when these are here.
Sorry, your time is up.
Okay, thank you very much.
Next speaker, Gary Comack.
Gary, I'm 37th Street.
Last call for Gary.
Next speaker, Niam Raman.
Neve Raman, 6837, 155th Avenue.
To be honest, there's no place that rather be less tonight on this beautiful summer evening, especially given all the rain we've had recently.
Yet I find my evenings, weekends, and even breaks during the workday being taken up by a massive amount of volunteer hours fighting this data center.
I, and a slew of other folks that's growing and growing, are working overtime, balancing full time jobs, childcare, family obligations, summer events, wedding planning,
house side hustles, summer school, vacations, sick parents, aging pets, losses.
The list goes on and on.
Yet we continue to show up to these meetings as futile as they feel.
We continue to put hours and hours into video editing, graphic design, content strategy, yard sign distribution, event planning,
contacting speakers, rallying residents, door knocking.
I could talk your ear off on how much we've done and are still doing.
Just know we're coming for your jobs.
I'm seriously impressed at the amount of courage, intelligence, sharp-minded and whitted, strategic, quick-acting, hard-working, et cetera,
folks I've come to know through this activism.
People of all ages, races, genders, political ideologies, it's honestly refreshing.
And I know Kenosha will be in good hands for the next generation.
But what I fear is that we'll have so much cleaning up we'll need to do.
Cleaning up and paying financially but also physically and mentally for the self-indulgent, greedy, ignorant, irresponsible,
I don't know, choices made by our current elected officials, who may I remind since it seems like they need reminding every two weeks
work for us, the residents of the city that they govern.
So I could rant and rave up here all day as I have before and as everyone else has,
and in private phone calls with my alderman and other alderman, but let me ask you these questions.
What will your reaction be if and when our drinking water turns brown?
Can you sleep with yourself at night knowing you're endangering the constituents of your districts?
Why do you simply refuse to provide any level of dialogue that's not in a private one-on-one conversation?
Did you see how viral the video went the last two weeks when Montana was escorted out by the cops?
Yeah, that went viral and had about 60,000 views, over 2,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
And quite frankly, the vast majority was praised for her speaking out.
We acknowledged she went over her three minute time, but everybody was in favor and wanted to hear what she had to say.
You have 30 seconds.
Will you have any regret if you're not elected back into office?
Since I won't get answers to those questions tonight anyways, I'll just say like many others have before,
if you're not listening and you're not paying attention, a wave is rising higher and higher,
and we're taking you all down with it.
Next speaker, Daniel Laska.
Daniel Laska, we've all met before.
Yes, has he yet?
Cool.
My name is Dan Laska.
We've all met before.
24-0-3-136 have.
As I said before, I share a property line with Microsoft, and tonight I'm talking because this is very personal for us.
I'll personal what I just put up is the actual distance from the wall in my house to Microsoft property.
I'm R2.
That to that is a distance to heavy industrial.
You guys did that November 21st, 2024.
And for all those, you can see the video of them voting on it on the Kenosha website.
You can dig for it.
So that's why it's personal.
I'm trying to protect my family.
I'm a father.
You're a father's.
How would you feel?
This is about the size of a patio, right?
It's 10 feet, 4 inches.
It recurs how far that is.
It's 10 feet, 4 inches to the wall of my house to heavy industrial.
November 24th, November 21st, 2024.
You all seem kind of pretty happy in the room.
You almost wanted to give high fives.
A lot of gaveling going on.
I'm pretty proud.
That moment changed this.
I thought I had a house that was safe.
I wanted to raise my family, raise my children in.
Instead, I'm up here, and I've added the minutes because you get three minutes, and then we're getting five minutes.
And I applaud everybody here for showing up.
This was amazing.
Good for you guys.
I had 18 minutes in front of you over the past six or seven sessions to talk.
And I've tried to come up with an angle every time, a different one.
This was my latest.
But I'm up here as a father trying to protect his family, his children, as a representative that loves his community of Paris.
He's trying to protect my community.
I'm trying to protect my land name.
I have a lot of equity in that.
In a weird way, I'm trying to protect your community.
How ironic is that when your guys come into us?
How many of you have visited?
I live 800 feet from the actual intersection of 142 and 36.
You've been out there?
Seen it?
Did you look at it before you voted on it?
Would you buy a car before you looked at it?
Would you buy a house before you looked at it?
So you have 30 seconds?
This is very personal to me.
And I'm not going to stop.
You came to my doorstep.
You came 10 feet, 4 inches from my doorstep.
We're serious people.
We're very serious and we're getting very organized.
Sometimes, if you win, you can really lose.
Thank you.
Next speaker, Jared Hunt.
Jared Hunt.
Last call for Jared Hunt.
59-21-6th Avenue.
Next speaker, Samuel Erving.
I'm going to bring it down here.
Don't start my time, or do you see it?
Cripple, come on.
Samuel Irving, 88-29-17th Avenue.
I'm a big movie fan.
And arts have always been a passion of mine.
I worked in it for a long time.
I worked as an engineer doing concerts and events.
I've been around, I know tech.
Anyway, I digress.
We can learn about from these films that we watch.
They often show us ideas and themes that give us insight on the world around us
from love and loss and working through that and technology
and the dangers of not fully understanding its reach.
In Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, everybody's favorite, 2002.
People live in a world where they're always being watched
and crime is reported before can even happen.
It's far fetched, it's dramatic, it makes the movie good.
But a lot of this is coming real today.
The clairvoyance of the tech, obviously, is not real
and the dramatic fight scenes just make the movie exciting, but it makes a good film.
The theme and the background of the film remains.
It warns of the dangers of surveillance and the invasion of privacy
with the idea that anybody can be a potential threat.
Even you, especially you, everyone of you.
Especially as people who work in government.
Where am I going with this?
Well, look at the tech they use.
Facial recognition, data tracking, phone tracking,
cameras everywhere.
Does that sound familiar?
It should.
You carry everything with that in your pocket.
Your entire life, recorded, watched, building a case against you
whether you like it or not.
What supports this?
How do you manage this much data?
Data centers.
It's easy.
But we've had data centers since, what, 70s, 80s
to manage the internet and work it?
The tech only grows from here.
AI has made leaps in only months.
You cannot imagine where it will be in a year,
five years or ten years from now.
In 2002, they guessed so much of the surveillance tech.
Even earlier than that in movies that,
can't think of it on top of my head, but I'll go on.
You have 30 seconds.
Thank you.
These hyperscale data centers, whether you agree with it or not,
will be supporting the mass surveillance state.
Flock cameras are a huge part of that.
And you know exactly where this is going,
tracking every single license plate in and out of the state
where you're going to every doctor's appointment,
to every store, everything.
And your legacy supports it.
Every line crossed that you allow with these data centers
that big tech is partnering with governments to do
will be your legacy.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Please continue.
B, communications, petitions, reports of departments.
B, one approval of the following applications.
A, 16 operators licenses.
B, three special class B beer and or special class B wine licenses.
Gentlemen from 10th.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I make a motion to concur the recommendation of license
permit to approve B, one.
Any laptops, sir?
I thought I hit it.
Moved and seconded to approve item B, one.
Any discussion?
Seeing none.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries.
B, two conditional use permit for a tattoo establishment
located at 4400 Sheridan Road.
Gentlemen from the third.
Thank you.
I move to approve B, two in concurrence with the City
Plan Commission.
It's been moved and seconded to concur an item B, two.
At this time, open up to a public hearing.
Anyone here speaking item B, two?
Please come forward.
State your name and address.
Mitch Braver, 1802 28th street.
Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Yeah.
What am I doing?
Sorry about that.
Yeah.
I'm here for any questions.
Yep.
Okay.
If there are any questions from the council, we'll call you back up.
Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, sir.
Anyone else here to speak an item B, two?
Anyone else?
Anyone else?
Seeing none.
Coals of public hearing.
Motion on the floor is concurrence on item B, two.
Any discussion?
Seeing none.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
Motion carries.
Item B, two, three.
Item B, two, three.
General use permit amendment for a tattoo and body piercing
establishment located at 7611 purging Boulevard.
and address forty nine twenty five sixty eight street
basically my wife and I we've owned this property seventy six eleven Persian
Boulevard for Jamie Waldron operates her gypsy camp gem girls I'm here to
today discuss the recommendation that was made for removing a portion of the
parking lot and planter boxes and install some planter boxes I attended
Planning Commission or actually Common Council both times with her and we had
spoken to a representative and we were told it was a recommendation he had
advised us that we don't bring it up unless we needed to based on that
guidance we didn't step forward with anything when it came to Jamie getting
her occupancy approval however we were informed that she could not open our
business unless the escrow amount and additional five hundred dollar temporary
occupancy was paid so we helped comply with that we had if we had been
presented with this as a requirement instead of a recommendation we would have
addressed these immediately so I apologize on that piece of it since
purchasing the property we have made significant improvements to enhance
both the appearance and functionality the building has been painted new
shutters installed decorative window of planters and the parking lot has been
recoded we have also made other improvements that comply with city
requirements including lowering the sign turning it away from being over the
sidewalks we've invested considerable considerable amount of time and money in
improving the property and we believe those efforts demonstrate our commitment
to maintaining and extract an attractive well-kept business we're
respectfully requesting that an acceptance that would allow us to leave
the remaining leave the parking lot as it is the parking lot already has very
limited and extremely tight maneuvering spaces removing pavement to install
planter boxes and landscaping features would create several concerns first it
would present a first safety issue raised planters or similar permanent
structures would create a tripping hazards when customers step out of the
vehicles second because of the tight parking configuration any planters or
landscaping features would likely be struck by a vehicle on a regular basis
continuing continuing causing continual damage and maintenance issues while we
understand the city's goal is to approve the appearance of the property we believe
we've already accomplished this objective objective through an extensive
exterior improvements that we have made third as shown in the photographs I did
bring some if anybody wanted them or wanted to pass them out
the photographs shows vehicles already require multiple back and forth
movements just to exit the parking space adding a permanent obstruction would
significantly reduce the maneuverability and caught and could make some parking
spaces impractable or unusable for customers finally snow removal would
become extremely difficult because of the limited space plowing the parking lot
is already a challenge installing permanent landscaping within the
parking area would create additional obstacles and increase the likelihood
of property damage during winter maintenance in closing I respectfully
ask the Commission to consider these facts when making the decision we
requested is a we request is reasonably given the limited parking lot size the
existing maneuverability constraints this the substantial improvements we have
already made to the property and the fact that we relied on understanding that it
was a recommendation versus a rent mandatory requirement thank you and if
you have any questions I'm here to answer thank you sir anyone else on item B3
from the public anyone else anyone else seeing none closed the public hearing
Mr. Casey sir if I'm not mistaken that that condition was removed at City
Planning Commission correct I was not at that meeting mayor but in looking at the
report yes okay condition duty the conditions approved require to remove
the asphalt in the striped area around the existing sign and replacing it with
Mulcher stone and the recommendation was to remove that condition right so I guess
it further the applicant and for for Council at City Plan Commission City
Plan Commission agreed with the owner or the applicant here to remove that and I
would I would ask the council to I would assume that the arm of the 16th
understood that he was there and actually voted for that but that was I'm assuming
that was part of your meant to be for your motion so that condition that this
gentleman was asking for relief was already granted via City Plan Commission
I we do need this body to uphold that and I would ask this council to do that
because that is what we did at City Plan Commission and agree with the applicant
correct thank you sir
gentleman from a third thank you Ron I was going to make some of the same
points you just did basically by approving this we are approving what this
gentleman also requested because the condition that he objected to was removed
at the City Plan Commission meeting the reasons were pretty obvious he did a lot
of work there and at the same time as your honor is pointed out although that
we try to make things when we have new developments etc we try to keep
everything to a certain standard it would not been fair in this situation a lot of
older places have parking lots and this parking lot would have been really
hazardous if they totally complied with this with the conditions that were were
proposed thus the City Plan Commission agreed to remove those conditions and
thus when you vote for B3 and if you vote in the affirmative you are voting to
basically give this gentleman what he wants as well relief from that condition
thank you thank you sir lady from the eighth yeah I'll make this just short and
sweet as elder person of the district I thank the City Plan Commission for
voting for this and I'm full in full support thank you ma'am anyone else on
B3 if not motion on the floor is approval vitamin B3 as recommended by City
Plan Commission correct all those in favor say aye aye any opposed motion
carries see recommendations from the committee on licenses impermit see one
application on Michaela wire for a new operator's license
gentlemen from intent thank you mr. Mayor make a motion to concur with the
recommendation license permit any additional ones mr. Chairman not yet sir
all right so okay at this time open up to a hearing anyone here speaking
item C1 please come forward state your name and address anyone here to speak
anyone here speak seeing none close the hearing motion on the floor is
concurrence it's a license permit any discussion seeing none all those in
favor say aye any opposed motion carries see to application of Brandon per
domo for a new operators license gentlemen from the 10th thank you mr.
Mayor make a motion to deny based on material police records safely related
to the license
we've been seconded to would that be to concur with license permit
recommendations sir yes sir okay at this time open up to a hearing
and we hear speaking item C2 please come forward say to your name and
address
well I'm sorry I'm sorry one second I'm sorry good okay my name is Francis
flex 2831 14 lane Kenosha I am Brandon's mom sorry he just went to the
bedroom I would like to speak for him if I can sure sure nobody knows better
than me the struggles the bad that's bad decisions choices he made but nobody
knows better than me the progress and how proud I am right now to see the better
decisions and the improvement I'm talking about you I just don't want to let this
pass so I am very very confident that he deserve to get the license so he can
keep working in something he's good at it thank you man Brandon can we get your
name and address for the record yeah Brandon per domo 2831 14th lane Kenosha
Wisconsin I want to start by saying I wasn't here last Monday when I was
supposed to be because I was at work I got out late so I didn't really get to
speak or anything so start by just kind of saying I know at a glance looking at
it looks kind of bad looks pretty bad I'm aware of that I am I'm aware of the
mistakes I've made and it's not any excuses or anything but at least some
context to kind of what happened when I was 21 my girlfriend passed away and I
got very very depressed and very lots of issues with addiction and lots of other
things and it took a long time I didn't want to get better honestly and if you
look at the record that's from 2022 to 24 was everything happened and that was
during the time where I didn't want to be here I didn't want to be alive and you
know I started working as I've worked in restaurants my whole life I start
working as a bartender supervised and kind of helped me get sober and I mean I
have a lot of supporting documents here from my clinic where I've been sober for
almost two years it'll be two years in December I even have the diagnosis from
my therapist and my psychiatrist stating that it was mostly a situational kind of
problem that was going on due to what had happened and I even have discharge
papers showing like my risk level and everything at the time I got discharged
that was two years ago that was in December 2024 I mean since then I've
been working I have my associates degree in audio science and engineering and you
know it's hard because every time you try to move forward you're reminded of
the mistakes you made it's hard because it's like a wall every single time every
turn I take to laughter to the right to try to go forward something trying to
stop me at least that sort of feels like and I know those are my own mistakes but
it's hard when you're trying to do better and trying to do the thing you like
because it's been really hard to find something I like and I feel like I am
good at it I even have letters of recommendations in here I don't know if
anyone wants to look at all this but yeah I mean I don't really have too much
else to say besides that I guess other than thank you guys for your time
consideration and I understand either way thank you sir any anyone else on
item C2 anyone else anyone else if not closer hearing a gentleman from the
16th or okay yes I'm I share that committee the applicant came in after the
vote was taken he had a work it wasn't his fault but we we had voted on it
already to deny
granted there's 400 points but every applicant deserves a right to a hearing
so I like to this to be deferred put back into the committee so he can get
committees that I make a motion to send back to committee yes been moved and
seconded to send this back to license permit on that motion to send back to
committee all those in favor say aye any post motion carries this will be at the
following a license permit me
C3 application of Nakia Brookshire for a yearly peddler stand located at 28 2014
Babynae with no adverse recommendations from the police department
gentlemen from the 10th thank you Mr. Mayor I make a motion to approve C3 C4 C5
C6 after being read any necessary applicant hearings through C5
C4 application of auto express services AES auto and towing LLC for a new towing
service license located at 6432nd Avenue with an adverse recommendation from
the police department C5 applications for a temporary outdoor extension of the
class B beer class B liquor license with no adverse recommendations from the
police department a Bendelli's adventure Inc located at 4601 7th Avenue on
September 18th through 19th 2026 B bottoms up ventures Inc located at 1402 52nd
Street on August 21st through 23rd 2026 C Kenosha creative space Inc located
at 624 57th Street on August 21st through 23rd 2026 with a waiver request of
10.0 75 D3 by the common council under 10.0 75 I okay at this time open up to a
hearing anyone here speak and I am C3 4 or 5 please come forward state your
name and address anyone here to speak anyone here to speak
Hello Brian Johnson for C4 2832 14th Lane I'm the owner of EAS sewing I'm
here for any questions if there are any questions thank you sir
anyone else on C3 4 5 anyone else anyone else seeing none closing hearing
motion on the floor is concurrence is that correct mr. Chair any discussion
seeing none all those in favor say aye aye any opposed motion carries C6
application of salon Diamante LLC for a new class B beer reserved class B liquor
license located at 6712 30th Avenue upon surrender of a class B beer class C
liquor license from salon Diamante LLC with no adverse recommendations from
the police department gentlemen from the 10th thank you mr. Mayor I make a
motion to approve and in that motion is the waving of the main entrance 300
foot waiver okay at this I'm open up to a hearing anyone here speaking item C6
please come forward say your name and address
Alvar Rodriguez my address is 1721 50th string Kenosha
the floor is yours ma'am if anything you'd like to say to the council on this
on this item well I'm applying for the liquor because the parties of weddings
and baby showers sometimes they wanna drink and that's why since they changed
the rules of the house well I got a feeling there's gonna be some questions
from the council so if you want to have a seat if you don't have anything else
to say there may be some questions from council okay thank you ma'am anyone
else and I'm C6 anyone else anyone else seeing none close to hearing lady from
the 12th in the meeting committee meeting I voted against this because my concern
was the exit of people if there was a fire and while I understand that the
order from the 8th district has shown me pictures where they have two exits but
then they also have a lift there and then but that still doesn't ease my concern
because if there's a fire and there's I'm not even sure what the occupancy is
but then if there's people in there that need to get out and they're using the
lift that brings even more concern so my my vote will still be a no thank you
lady from the 8th thank you I have the chance to meet with Miss Rodriguez last
week who owns the building which is the former St. Luke's Lutheran Church she
rents out the sanctuary to a congregation and it's part of their rental
agreement that the hall will not be rented while the congregation holds
church services and other activities the rental hall does have multiple exits on
opposite ends of the space it's on the lower level of the old Sunday school
space which I would describe as a split level not a basement the space has a
wall of windows above ground on both the east and the west side Mr. Rodriguez is
also purchased the parking lot and a house across 30th Avenue and a lot east
of the building on 67th Street the property is well maintained she's
received numerous appreciative comments from her neighbors and her request for
this license all stems from a change in state law she has come before us many
of times attempting to acquire the proper licenses to continue to operate
her business and I'm asking for your support of Miss Rodriguez and the
issuance of this license thank you gentlemen from a 16th yeah a couple of
things when in front of the committee it was tied to two so that should have
been under she tonight as a denial right if it's a tie it should be a
denial it says we approved that it was a tie so a tie is a denial I got a
question for madam clerk yeah as was stated at the meeting it's a no
recommendation from the council now the the motion was to approve that motion
failed right now it's a effectively a no recommendation from the license permit
committee but yeah it says license LP approved that was the motion that was
made yes sir I got you okay madam clerk the reserve can you shine light for the
rest of our council about the reserve license how much it costs how many are
available so on and so forth so we have a total of 39 reserve licenses which can
be issued after we've reached our quota on regular class be liquor licenses which
we have and we have currently issued seven so we have 32 remaining and the
issuance fee is ten thousand dollars thank you yeah I voted I voted no and I'm
gonna vote no also tonight it's an old church building this party venue is
certainly not on the first floor some people call it the basement some people
call it different things but it's I call it the basement because it's not on the
floor there's a church in a school this is in the basement of the old school
part of the of the establishment the applicants willing to spend ten thousand
dollars this is a venue situation it's not it's not a tavern it's a venue they
have venues marriage wedding so on and so forth so I held there but I know
she's willing to spend ten thousand dollars for this license but the situation
and the location of it and the layout of it that's one of the reasons that that
I'm not I'm not for it so I won't be supported in it tonight thank you thank
you sir gentlemen from the first thank you based on the comments from the lady
from the 12th and also gentlemen the 16th I would assume that there's no
holds right based on this lifestyle subject to hold so do we have from an
emergency egress standpoint do we have chief here who can speak that I would
assume that if it's not conformed from the standpoint of emergency egress and
other code compliance things associated with the activity then I guess we'd have
a story here but I would think I would think we don't
the story is that in the lady from the 12th opinion is that she's not
comfortable with the egress I don't know if I'm stating that correctly man I hope
we understand that we have inspection and rules in place for for things like
emergency egress from everything from our own people to NFPA standard so I guess
I'm curious more than there's more to the story than that I guess I'd be
willing to listen but it as long as our code compliant and conforming for the
license activity I can't see your reason that that would be something to
consider thank you or the motion on the floor is to approve at this point sir
thank you thank you for
gentlemen from a second oh yes I was one of the two votes to vote to approve I
would urge the rest of the council to do the same I asked that question if the
fire department had had a look around and they had no issues with with her
business model so I'm satisfied that it's not a public safety hazard and once
again this this is a it's a it's a business model that we're not that
familiar with because previously they weren't required to be licensed through
the state but the change in liquor law says if you're going to host any sort of
party you have to have a liquor license she feels strongly enough in her
business plan to spend that ten thousand dollars and this is a way for her to be
legitimate because there's probably some operators aren't there we haven't been
notified maybe they're maybe they're operating out of the light of proper
licensure but we're trying to encourage responsible licensure in this town and
she's making the effort to do so I'd much rather face this sort of a situation
than a scofflaw of some sort she's patiently been pretending meetings for
about two months this council and licensed in permits looking for a way to stay
in business and I can graduate later for that I know it's a church building but
she owns the building she rents it out to a church and if she was to hold a
party in violation of her of her own tenant agreement well she's just not
going to do that so I urge the council to support this application I support
the motion thank you thank you sir seeing no other lights motion on the
floor is approval of item c6 with the waiver of the 300 feet correct Mr.
Chairman Mr. Chairman thank you sir roll calls been asked for roll call please
motion carries 15 to 2 item c7 applications of the coffee pot LLC located
at 4914 7th Avenue with no adverse recommendations from the police
department a new class B beer class C liquor license B probationary cabaret
license C permanent outdoor extension gentlemen from the 10th thank you Mr.
I make a motion to approve C7 C8 after being read any necessary applicant
hearings C8 application of order what you want LLC for an outdoor dining area
with extension of the class B beer class B liquor license located at 508 58th
Street with no adverse recommendations from the police department okay at the
time open up to a hearing anyone here speaking item C7 or C8 please come
forward state your name and address anyone here speak any one yes Pablo
and Diana Scribano 2005 35th place regarding C8 we're just here for any
questions thank you sir anyone else on C7 or C8 anyone else anyone else seeing
none close in hearing motion on the floor is approval of C7 and C8 any
discussion seeing none all those in favor say aye aye any opposed motion
carries e ordinances first reading e1 ordinance by the committee on public
safety and welfare to amend section 7.125 of the code of general ordinances
entitled streets controlled by you actually did we vote on it they vote on C8 we
didn't both thank you all right e1 ordinance by the committee on public
safety and welfare to amend section 7.125 of the code of general ordinances
entitled streets controlled by yield signs by rescinding there from the
yield signs on 54th Avenue at its intersection with 41st Street and to
include Easton Westbound yield signs on 41st Street and 54th Avenue jump from
5th motion to send e1 e2 and e3 about F1 and F1 e2 ordinance by the
committee on public safety and welfare to amend section 7.12 C of the code of
general ordinances entitled stop streets to include a cell phone stop at the
intersection of 25th Avenue and 55th Street e3 ordinance by the committee on
public safety and welfare to amend section 7.12 C of the code of general
ordinances entitled stop streets by adding Easton West stop signs at 40th
Street and 32nd Avenue F zoning ordinances first reading F1
rezoning ordinance by the City Planning Commission to rezone the property at
3719 25th Street from a to agricultural and holding district RS1 single family
residential district okay motion and bless you to send e1 through F1 on
their way any discussion seeing none all those have ever say aye aye any opposed
motion carries g orness is second reading g1 ordinance by the mayor to
repeal and recreate sub paragraph 1.01 d1 e regarding the 5th
aldermanic district for the purpose of adding Ward 102
gentlemen from 13th move to concur with the finance committee
recommendation to approve g1
mr chairman sorry about that
woman seconded to approve item or concur with finance committee
recommendation g1 at this time open up to a public hearing anyone here to
speak an item g1 please come forward state your name and address anyone here
speak anyone here speak seeing none close the public hearing motion on the
floor is concurrence any discussion seeing none all is the favorable vote aye
those opposed no rule call please
motion carries 17 to 0 h zoning ordinance is second reading h1's ordinance by the
mayor attachment and zoning district classification ordinance under section
66.0307 Wisconsin statutes city of Kenosha town of summer state approved
cooperative plan 37 19 25th street town of summers
gentleman from 5th a commotion to approve
spend moved and seconded to approve item b h1 at the same open up to a public
hearing anyone here speaking on h1 please come forward state your name and
address anyone here speak anyone here speak seeing none close the public hearing
motion on the floor is approval any discussion
seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 aye resolutions aye one resolutions by the committee on
finance to levy special charges a trash and debris removal $4,985.33
be grass and weed cutting $3,700 64 cents see property maintenance
re-inspection fees $13,152
t building and zoning re-inspection fees $976 finance recommended to approve 6 to 0
gentleman front 13th move to approve i1 as recommended by finance committee
moving and seconded to concur with finance and i1 that's a sample open up to a hearing
anyone here speaking on i1 please come forward state your name and address
anyone here speak anyone here speak seeing none close the hearing motion on the floor is
concurrence any discussion seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 aye two resolution by the committee on public works to order the
cost of public sidewalk and or driveway approach construction and a replacement
to be specially assessed to a budding property for project 26-1043 73rd street in
24-7 and resurfacing public works recommended to approve 6 to 0
lady from the eighth yes i make a motion to concur with the public works committee to approve i2
it's been moved and seconded to concur with public works on i2 at this time open up to a public hearing
anyone here speaking item i2 please come forward state your name and address
anyone here to speak anyone here speak seeing none close the public hearing motion on the floor
is concurrence any discussion seeing none roll call please
all the person on the machia motion carries 17 to 0 i3 resolution by the mayor to amend
the official map for the city of kenosha bisconsin to include the attachment of 3719 25th street
in the town of summers kenosha county wisconsin in accordance with the approved city of kenosha
town of summers co-operative plan under section 66.0307 of the wisconsin statutes
chairman from fifth i motion to approve please
it's been moved and seconded to approve item b or i3 at this time open up to a public hearing
anyone here speaking item i3 please come forward state your name and address
anyone here to speak anyone here speak seeing none close the public hearing motion on the floor
is approval any discussion seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 k public construction and improvement contracts k1 a word of contract for
project 26-1043 73rd street and 21st avenue resurfacing to a w oaks and sun ink in the amount of
$409,800 public works in stormwater utility recommended to approve six to zero
sorry lady from the eighth yes i make a motion to concur with the public works committee to
approve k1 moved and second to concur with public works in k1 any discussion
seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 l other contracts and agreements l1 combination affidavit to combine
six city owned parcels located between sixth avenue and seventh avenue and 54th street and
55th street into one parcel finance recommended to approve six to zero
gentlemen from 13th thank you mr mayor i'm moved to confer what the finance committee
recommendation to approve l1
moved and seconded to approve item l1 any discussion
seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 l2 construction administrative services agreement by in between the city of
konosha department of public works and Nielsen madson and barber for authentic black hawk
ridge public works recommended to approve six to zero lady from the eighth yes i moved to
concur with the public works committee to approve items l1 l2 i'm sorry l2 and l3 after being read
l3 first revision state municipal financial agreement for shared and road from 75th street
to succeed first street public works recommended to approve six to zero
okay motion and floor is concurrence of public works l2 and l3 any discussion
seeing none roll call please
other person for reef motion carries 17 to 0 l4 bjafy 2025 edward burn memorial justice
assistance grant program intern governmental agreement by in between the city of konosha
wisconsin and the county of konosha wisconsin finance recommended to approve six to zero
challenge front thirteenth
move to uh um concur with the finance committee recommendation to approve l4
move and second to concur on l4 any discussion
seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 l5 professional services agreement by in between msa
professional services ink and the city of konosha from mckinley school site development
public works and stormwater utility recommended to approve six to zero
uh oh lady from the eighth yes i moved to concur with the public works committee to
approve l5
it's been moving and seconded to approve item l5 any discussion
seeing none roll call please
motion carries 17 to 0 m recommendations from the committee on finance m1 request to
rescind 2025 union park october fest invoice finance recommended to approve four to two
gentlemen from the thirteenth move to concur to concur with the finance committee recommendation
to approve m1
moved and seconded to concur with finance on m1 at this time open up to a hearing
anyone here speaking on an m1 please come forward state your name and address
a good evening bendy smith 6703 seventh avenue speaking tonight on behalf of mgv harmonia
the sponsor of the event thank you
thank you sir anyone else on item m1 anyone else anyone else seeing none
close the hearing lady from a 12
i voted against this um during the committee committee meeting i don't have anything against
union park i love the fish fries there um but i i voted no against it because of the time that
it took for this to come back because if it was an oversight i think it should have been done
way before now i guess if i can help um all the person that's not that's on us again
from our standpoint and the um process was something we missed until it was brought forward and then
it was just trying to get it scheduled to come back for to allow the applicant to have a hearing
but that oversight was on was on our part um and yeah i would have liked to have gotten it back
here uh several weeks ago there's just some other things that were going on just didn't get a
chance to do that and wanted to make sure that we gave the applicant an opportunity to
have their hearing and be able to move forward gentlemen from the 17th
thank you your honor um i was also a no-vote along with my colleague from the 12th district
my reasoning was as well it was just too long and when i dug deep into the uh file here
you know i i mentioned to the financial uh
um committee that i'm a kind of a fiscal conservative if i run my household like that my
businesses like that and i look at every dollar and when we see rescind on the petition i looked
at it a little closer um i looked at the application they submitted says it's for profit and when i
reached out to the parks department she uh indicated that actually we mischarged them it should have
been uh one thousand three hundred and ten dollars and so we actually gave them a discount on the bill
now i looked at the letter as well i talked to laura gogrowski after the meeting the finance
meeting said some questions she straightened some of them out and a lot of it was involved with
the sister city while we also have a sister city from italy we also had an italian fest last year
that uh brought in 20 000 people according to the president of the ia fest
um they are a 501 3c they paid their application fees they paid their liquor license fees they paid
for all their fencing um the only thing i'm against is just setting a precedent it listed us as a
sponsor that's why we actually know it didn't list us as a sponsor the reasoning is we're waving
this is because we're a sponsor while i looked at the 20 25 list there's 29 sponsored events in
kenosha that was not listed as one of them it is on the 20 26 list so we're good for this year
but the problem is from last year i looked at the website kenosha.com co-hosted union part tavern
and mgv harmonica the vital support from visit kenosha area businesses dedicated sponsors
doesn't list kenosha city anywhere as a sponsor um this year they've got 22 sponsors listed
and the last thing i have is the um
city said it's an oversight i just think there's too many oversights there's an oversight on kenosha.com
by not listing us as a co-sponsor in 20 25 there was incorrect billing and now 11 months later
we are looking for a reciting on this so i'm still in no vote again it is nothing new at union
park it's just setting a precedent moving forward i mean we're gonna have people dig up their
archives in the last three or four years saying hey you know i think we're a sponsor from the city
we should rescind this fee and that fee and so that's where i'm standing right now thank you
thank you sir i guess i would say to the council again anytime i don't care if it's
six weeks ago or six months ago or six years ago if we identify an error we fix it
um and that's what we're attempting to do here tonight so again it's up to the council but i would
again that was it's not on this particular business owner's fault uh it's on the city's fault when
we're just trying to correct it but ultimately it's up to the council motion on the floor is to
uh concur with finance which would be to rescind correct okay roll call please
motion carries 11 to 6
m2 requests to refund 10 re-inspection fees and the total amount of $3,150 for 4509 30th
avenue finance recommended to deny six to zero
tell me from 13th
thank you uh mr mare i'm moved to concur with the finance committee recommendations
on m2 m3 m4 m4 and n5 after being read
second
m3
sure after
yep one second we're just gonna gotta read them off first
m3 requests to refund one re-inspection fee and the total amount of $72 for 8560 37th avenue
finance recommended to approve six to zero m4 requests to rescind one re-inspection fee
and the amount of $72 for 716 51st street finance recommended to approve six to zero
m5 disbursement record number 14 seven million eight hundred and forty two thousand four hundred
and ten dollars forty five cents finance recommended to approve six to zero okay at this
time now we'll open up for a hearing on m2 three four and five if you would like to speak please
come forward state your name and address on m2 three four five um hi my name is justina
sontag i live at 220 highland way lake janeeva and i'm the one on m2 regarding the property
at four five zero nine thirtieth avenue um it was just in the finance meeting that started at like
six fifteen and everyone voted to not rescind the fees i did pay
about give or take forty six hundred dollars of fees i'm only asking for the thirty one fifty
back and yes i did make a mistake and and not send the city my forward in address because i went
to new jersey to take care of my father's estate my father died i it was a hard situation
in my life that i was dealing with and i was in new jersey for a while my mail was forwarded
but i did not get any of this mail and yeah technically you know the letter of the law
you pay it all which which i did and the thing is these are for inspections that take a minute or
two because when i found out about the situation when i was selling the property and this was all
added on it was going to be taken out um you know i saw all the inspection fees i immediately took
care of the situation within two days i called took care of the situation it was just a fence
a little area of offense that was fallen over i went out after i hired someone to take care of it
pulled up to the property it took me less than two minutes to inspect and see that it was taken
care of so that's the amount of time that was spent on this times ten which and i'm not even
asking for the other fifteen hundred dollars which i did pay just asking for the three thousand
one hundred fifty dollars which it was two minutes to inspect this fence because i went and
inspected it and it's just not financially it's just to me in my budget it's a crazy amount of money
to spend on that and i get that i should have forwarded it my mail was forwarded from new jersey but
i didn't get all of it i didn't get these notices the tenant that was there
did not get the notices she died in december and i was not aware of that she didn't notify me
that she died and so i did i did not know this there was a squatter in the house who was given
notices i found out later and he didn't forward forward me these notices so
i'm just the the thing is to if this was a health hazard if this was a
risk to the community the situation with the fence that's leaning over
yeah i'm sure it looked ugly but it wasn't a safety risk it wasn't a health hazard it wasn't
a big threat to anybody and i paid a lot of the fees and i just
really have a need for the funds
um i know the what do you call it the finance committee i think it's called
that mean i went to i know they recommend you know
forget it she didn't do the right thing she didn't take care of this but it's not up to them
they're five people it's up to the votes of everyone else here is what i found out
today and
basically i'm sorry i didn't take care of it i didn't know about it i was up to my ears and
siblings and estate issues and all this other stuff with my in grieving the loss of my father
and dealing with my own health problems which i'm not going to get into but
um just hoping that
the other 12 or 13 people are just human just like me maybe so um i don't know if i
if anyone asked me questions or if that was already done if there are questions from the
council that we can call you back up unless there's anything else you'd like to add
um i don't think so okay thank you ma'am okay close the hearing
gelman from the fifth thank you your honor i was at the finance meeting and i thought she has a
legitimate case uh due to all the circumstances that were foreseen or not seen or unable to handle
um i'd never disagree i shouldn't say never disagree i very rarely disagree with finance
but i think on this one they were wrong and i want to vote for resending thank you
thank you sir gelman from the first thank you your honor through the chair to the director of
inspections just a quick question
do we send these notifications out registered mail return return receipt requests that are
something of that nature is just regular mail no we send them out class email class email so
we have no we have no receipt that's we have no way to track so we don't track these
no tracking corrosion and then maybe through the chair of the city attorney um obviously the
fees escalate from the first vehicle to seventy two dollars and it goes in 90 then 180 then
kind of hangs out there at 360 uh it's my understanding that that's there's not just
inspection fees that have the bear kind of a reasonable resemblance the time we spend
but there's a punitive portion of this right is that if i'm saying the right legal stuff i
i would not agree that there's a punitive portion uh to this uh my understanding is these are
uh charged based on the cost provide the cost of the um of the city's incurring providing
services to the residents okay i don't believe from memory it wasn't explaining me at one point
because we could certainly if the fees ask if the fees escalate and the inspection time is roughly
the same and you're repeating the inspection then it'd be difficult to explain to 360 versus the
90 in the 180 in the 72 but we could certainly talk about it off the record afterward there's
there's a number of legal factors that well i'm just trying to i'm just trying to clarify that
there there is again this is just me going from memory that it's not just a
reinspection fee certainly the first one should bear a reasonable reason once right to the
our fees incurred from what once the attorney told me at one time but i was led to believe that
they become more somewhat punitive in nature also and that was a justification so anyway um we can
talk about that offline thank you ron thank you sir gentlemen from the 10th
thank you mr mare um through the mayor through the chair to the applicant
ma'am can you come back up to the podium please
I'm sorry i'm not familiar with all the lingo of the applicant reading your
appeal it says um you were gone for two years yes did you have a property management
or someone taking care of the property while you were gone for that two-year period
no i did not usually the tenant would call me if there was any issue or text me
usually she would call me you stated that the tenant died in December she did she died in
December and i was not aware of this was rent stopped being paid in December
no it was paid for December and January so
so her i think you learned in march or april that the person had passed away then no rent was
paid for march or april correct and you did not evict the person for non-payment rent
she was dead so i couldn't evict her the tenant son the tenant son
no i did not i just baked him to leave okay thank you thank you you're welcome
thank you sir gentlemen from 13th thank you mr mare
let's step back a minute first of all this this uh situations began when the city received a
complaint about a cold violation at this location and the sitting spectra is sent out sent out a
cold uh official to take a look at what the complaint was about
determined it was a cold violation and served the process
and then you know a letter was sent to her address of record
and the notice was put on the door or handed to the tenant
and then following that the inspection department went back out
to determine whether or not work was had begun or was completed on the cold violation
it was not so then a reinspection fee was applied 11 reinspections took place at this location
more than once the city inspector made contact with the with the tenant
requested information on how to contact the property owner phone call or whatever
was unsuccessful in in getting that done the problem really is here
that the uh property owner failed to change her address with the city of ganosia
not only was she gone for two years but failed to to change the address
her her own address for that property so the city could you know
they sent the letter out as they're supposed to do the city did its job
i'm sorry to say the uh the homeowner did not i'm not about to sit here and vote to change
the processes and the procedures of of our city inspections and codes and and all that
i would urge my colleagues to vote to deny thank you thank you sir okay so you know lights
motion and floor is concurrence on finance and m two three four and five roll call please
motion passes 16-0 and recommendations from the committee on public works and one acceptance
of project my apologies 16-1 thank you and recommendations from the committee on public works and one
acceptance of project 25 1044 20th avenue resurfacing which has been satisfactorily completed by
a laland contractors incorporated the final amount of the contract is four hundred eleven thousand
one hundred forty dollars and twenty one cents lady from the eighth is to make a motion to
concur with the public works committee on n one moon is seconded to concur on item n one any
discussion sing none roll call please
motion passes 17-0 and two acceptance of project 25-1435 horizon park playground
which has been satisfactorily completed by stuckey construction company the final amount
of the contract is four hundred nineteen thousand eight hundred eighty five dollars and sixty five
cents recommendation pending approval six zero gentlemen from the first looks concur with
the recommendation to approve in the park commission oh that way
moving second to concur with the parks commission on n two any discussion
sing none roll call please
motion passes 17-0 and three project 26-1-0-4-1-30
that avenue resurfacing change order number one finance and public works committee recommendation
approval six zero gentlemen from 13th move to concur with the finance committee recommendation
to approve n three moving second to concur on item n three any discussion
sing none all those in favor say or roll call please excuse me
motion carries 17-0 p and such matters as are authorized by law or regular business p1
agreement to hire an expert witness with regard to pending litigation with associated wholesale
grocers in 25-cv-5-17 finance recommended to approve six to zero
gentlemen from 13th move to concur with the finance committee recommendation to approve
p1 second moving second to concur with finance and p1 any discussion
sing none roll call please
motion carries 17-0 p2 potential settlement authority for the city of kenosha's
attorneys and Jane Doe versus Joshua Sylvester and the city of kenosha case number two 25-cv-0-1-2-4-3
finance recommended you concur with the recommendation of legal counsel six to zero
gentlemen from 13th move to concur with the finance committee recommendation
thank you on p2 second spin
moved and seconded to concur with the finance committee recommendation
any discussion sing none roll call please
please
bless you
alder person ciel
motion carries 17-0 okay alder person's comments
gentlemen from the 10th
thank you mr. Mayor I want to first give a shout out to the k-town connect crew Jason
Hedman and Donnie Sankato they celebrated their 200th podcast I had the honor of being their
37th guest I didn't think they would make it to 50 and I was pleasantly surprised and but the
reality is if you listen to these interviews with people in our community you really learn
something about them you know a little bit about their business you might know a little bit about
how these what they serve but it really gives you an insight into why people invest their time
and energy into this community and I think it was a really special thing and again I congratulate
them on their 200th podcast I don't think they're going to make it the 300 but who knows
on a separate note I want to it takes a village to raise a child and sometimes it takes a
entire community to put on a jazz fest we were supposed to have the 2026 harbor park
jazz rhythm and blues festival at celebration place on saturday due to what we thought was going to
be bad weather a decision was made to bring it indoors and that decision
a lot caused a quite a few people to have to pivot and put some resources in to make sure
that this concert went off which by the way benefits college students in our community
it's for scholarships so I just want to thank everyone that was involved it took so many people
to put that concert on to put the fundraiser together people from the city people from KUSD
all our volunteers and also those who attended the event it didn't rain
after all that it didn't rain but I really want to extend a thank you a hearty thank you to everyone
who within a matter of 24 hours was ready to pivot and make this concert happen which again
provides scholarships to students in our community so thank you one more time
thank you sir gentlemen from the third thank you your honor I'm going to try to word this very
carefully I've been getting emails and then complaints at citizens comments people seem to be
indignant that they are limited to three minutes when of course there are more than 11 people
wishy to speak the thing is this is not something we've just decided to do this is
something we are required to do and you know I'm not going to talk about disruptive people or
anything like that but I am going to say that they should also bear in mind that a lot of people
who are on the published agenda have business have their livelihoods really involved with our vote
on the published agenda they have to wait through all this and then they have to get you know their
turn for public hearing so we're not ignoring you we are required to provide you your three
minutes and we're not ignoring you and I'll leave it at that thank you sir motion to adjourn
and your laptop will be in order want to try that again
moving in second to adjourn all the favor say aye we stand adjourned thank you everybody